Secrets and Lies
by Rose-of-Red
Summary: Hermione's learning some alarming things about herself and her past.Some may scare her more than others.
1. Thoughts and Next Door Neighbors

Secrets and Lies  
  
Author:Rose-of-Red  
  
Rating:PG-13 for some swearing and sexual tension  
  
Summary: Hermione is discovering new things about herself and her past.Some alarm her more than others.  
  
Hermione Leigh Granger lie on her bed,staring blankly at the ceiling. She could not believed what she had done the night before. It was bad enough that she had gotten drunk but what she had done after that scared the hell out of her. It wasn't so much the dancing that bothered her but when someone,she couldn't remember who, had dared her to kiss a very drunk Parvati Patil and she had done it. And what scared her the most was that she had enjoyed it. Very much. She was absolutely disgusted with herself.   
  
Hermione rose from the bed,her hair mussed and frizzy. She studied the seventeen year old girl in the mirror. She wasn't beautiful but she was pretty. Well,she was when she didn't have circles under her eyes and frizzy hair. She picked her wand up from her bedside table and cast a quick charm on her hair. The circles under her eyes would have to be vanished with a different more complex charm.  
  
She murmured the spell and the circles vanished.  
  
With a sigh,Hermione pulled on her bathrobe and went downstairs. Another ordinary summer day of doing nothing except lounging by the pool. Her mother was up all ready and was making pancakes.  
  
"Good morning,Hermione,"her mother said pleasantly.  
  
"Good morning,Mum,"Hermione said,sitting down on a barstool.She surveyed the kitchen. Done in a cheerful blue and white, the kitchen radiated warmth.  
  
"Is something wrong?"her mother asked,noting Hermione's expression.  
  
"No,Mum,"Hermione said,running a hand through her hair.  
  
"If you say so,sweetheart,"her mother said and turned back around to her sizzling pancake,"You want any breakfast?"  
  
"No,"Hermione said,hopping off the barstool,"I think I'm going to go for a swim."  
  
"Okay,"her mother said as Hermione retreated back to her bedroom.  
  
Upstairs again,Hermione flung herself across her bed. She lay with her head buried in the pillow for awhile. Then she got up and dug her black bikini from the bottom of her clothes hamper. She yanked her nightgown over her head and pulled on the bikini. She grabbed her towel from the back of her desk chair and then walked back downstairs.Hermione slipped a pair of shoes on from beside the French doors and opened the doors. The sunlight streamed in, making the sunken living even more beautiful than what it was. Hermione stepped out into the glaring sunshine and padded up stained oak stairs to the deck that encirled the pool. The pool itself was gleaming a bright clear sparkling blue. She spread her towel out over the chaise lounge and then arranged herself on the lounge. With the sunshine beating down on her,she spread suntan lotion over her body.Then she stretched out on the lounge,enjoying the hot sun.  
  
Hermione had lain there for half an hour when she heard a moving truck pull into the driveway of the house next to her.She sat up and squinted towrds the truck.Two men got out as she watched and began unloading furniture.Hermione stretched back out on the lounge, intending to catch some more rays. She had lain there for another thirty minutes when she heard a car pull up in the other house's driveway. She stood up and looked over. Hermione stood up and looked at the family climbing out of the tiny car. A small family,she noted. There was a mother and three daughters. Hermione studied the three daughters. She turned away and then did a double take. Hermione whipped around. The third daughter looked enough like Hermione to be Hermione's sister! 


	2. Arrival of a Friend

Secrets and Lies  
  
Author:Rose-of-Red  
  
  
  
Rated:PG-13 for some swearing and sexual tension  
  
Hermione looked at the girl intently. She sure as hell looks like me,Hermione thought to herself. I need to clear my head, was her thought as she dived into the clear water.Hermione resurfaced,her head cleared a little.She swam back and forth across the pool,enjoying the feeling of her muscles stretching. She flipped over onto her back and began a quick backstroke. Staring up at the clear blue sky,she watched a speck get closer and closer towards her house. She squinted and realized it was someone on broomstick. Hermione climbed out of the pool,water making small round drops against the oak wood. She watched the figure progress slowly downward.  
  
Hermione ran into the house,her towel wrapped around her waist. She skidded to a stop in front of her front door just as the doorbell rang. Hermione opened the door to find Harry.  
  
"Harry!What happened?"she cried,flinging her arms around him.  
  
"My uncle and I had a fight,"Harry said.  
  
"That's obvious,"Hermione said, taking note of a bruise on Harry's cheek,his ripped shirt, and wrist that was swelling.  
  
"I didn't know what to do.Ron's on vacation and I realized I had your address so I came looking for a friendly face,"Harry said,stepping into Hermione's house .  
  
"Do you want something to eat or drink?"Hermione asked,unsure about what to say about Harry's previous comment.  
  
"Yeah,"Harry said,studying the house,"This is a pretty house.Much better than Petunia and Vernon's."  
  
Hermione beamed,"Thanks.I had a hand in the redecorating."  
  
Harry followed Hermione into the kitchen.  
  
"What do you want?"Hermione asked,opening the refridgerator,"We have turkey,ham, and cheese. There's some cold chicken left over from last night. Or we could go somewhere and get something."  
  
"How about we go somewhere?Are there any good restaurants around here?"Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah.Just give me a minute unless you want me to get some strange looks in the restaurant,"Hermione said, a gentle smile playing acroos her lips.  
  
"Go ahead and change,Hermione.I need to use the bathroom anyway.Where is it?"Harry said.  
  
"Go down that hall and it will be the third door on the left,"Hermione said,walking upstairs.  
  
Once Hermione got to her room,she tugged her bathing suit off and hung it over her shower curtain. She walked back into her room and pulled her closet door open. Hermione studied her closet. She closed the door without pulling anything off the hangers. She opened her a drawer of her dresser. Hermione pulled her favorite pair of white shorts out and a red tank top. She dressed quickly and cast a simple charm to dry her hair.  
  
She walked back downstairs to find Harry lounging on the over stuffed leather couch in her living room.He stood when he saw her.  
  
"Ready to go?"he asked.  
  
Hermione nodded and grabbed her purse.  
  
"Since we're going into Muggle London,I'm going to drive,"Hermione said, pulling her car keys from her small black purse.  
  
"Okay,"Harry said.  
  
Hermione and Harry walked out the front door and Hermione locked the door behind them.  
  
"Where are your parents?"Harry asked.  
  
"Oh,they are on a business trip. They will be back tomorrow. I'm expecting a call from them tonight,"Hermione said.  
  
"Oh,"Harry said.  
  
Hermione opened the door of her car. Harry followed suit as Hermione slid into the leather seat. Hermione slipped the keys into the ignition and the car started with a purr. They backed out of the driveway and started towards a favorite restaurant of Hermione's. They chatted easily on the way there. Hermione saw Harry flinch as they passed a road.  
  
"What's wrong?"she asked.   
  
"If you turn down that road,you'll reach Privet Drive,"Harry said with a suppressed shudder.  
  
Hermione didn't know what to say so she said nothing and turned on the radio. They drove th rest of the way to the restaurant in silence. 


End file.
